lynnef@teklabs.UUCP (Lynne Fitzsimmons ) (10/21/83)
I find it of interest that most all of the home computer commercials on
tv show boys. The TI commercials are the most blatant. It is either a
boy having trouble in math, and his little friend (also male) working with
him on a home computer, or a toddler-size boy "reaching out" and his father
working with him on a home computer. The only commercial I have seen that
has girls in it is the Commodore commercial where the little girl is being
given a Commodore at her birthday party from her mother.
Someone here who used to work at TI says that at TI they don't know that
women exist, so why would they think of putting them in their commercials?
Grumble,
--
Lynne Fitzsimmons
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ARPAnet: lynnef.tek@rand-relaysnafu@ihuxi.UUCP (10/24/83)
With respect to home computer commercials showing only males - not
entirely true. Last night I noticed an add by TI with large print
stating (as close a quote as I can remember), "If your child doesn't
have a computer, she may not grow up to be president." Underneath, in
smaller print was: "Thats right, now girls have the same chance as
boys to be president....."
My gripe is, 1) where do they get off implying that parents are
mistreating their kids if they don't buy a computer? Ever see the
commercial with little Johnny flunking out of college 'cause he didn't
a computer? What a lot of trash! I'm surprised they can get away with
claims like that. I entered college (Michigan Tech. Univ.) fresh out
of high school. I had seen but never touched a computer. I finished
college with honors and now have a good (even successful!) job. Not
bad, considering my BS is in computer science! Take that TI and
Commodore!
2) Although females have the same chance legally to be
elected president, it's ridiculous to think that they have the same
popular chance. Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that I don't think
they are capable, but given the current social state of mind toward
women, I think the claim made in the TI add is a bit exagerated.
In fact, it seems that this particular add does an injustice to
women, since it implies that women have achieved a status in society
that is not yet the case.
I really wish that manufacturers (not limited to computer companies)
would sell their products based on their merit, rather than on
misleading claims and psychological games.
--
D. Wallis (insert snappy signature here)
ATT&T Western Electric, Naperville Il.
(312) 979-5894rene@umcp-cs.UUCP (10/26/83)
Failing college because you don't have a computer? Gadzooks, what do
they think people DID in college before the advent of personal
computers? (actually, people were smarter back then :-) ) I never
touched computers until well into my college career. I was a biology
major, switched colleges, ended up with a B.G.S. (general studies),
and am now a master's candidate in Computer Science. Had someone told
me two years ago that I would be in Computer Science, I would never
have believed them. (ME? working with COMPUTERS? NEVER!) I think I'm
doing ok (in ai), despite my lack of high school computer experience.
- rene (and I'm female, too!!!)
--
Arpa: rene.umcp-cs@CSNet-relay
Uucp:...{allegra,seismo}!umcp-cs!renesda@pyuxnn.UUCP (DA Schrader) (11/08/83)
I feel that the BOYS/MEN in the commercials is a bit overstated. I have noticed quite a few articles/advertisements in computer magazines which quite blatantly show women in quite provocative positions/attire in hopes of drawing attention to the product .
walsh@ihuxi.UUCP (11/09/83)
Re: D. A. Schrader's comment on women in 'provocative positions/attire' in computer commercials: Do I misunderstand, or are you saying that it's OK to have women in sexy attire/positions to draw attention to the computer ad and that this is equivalent to showing only males using computers in ads? That women shouldn't feel discriminated against because they're used in ads also, no matter in what way? That reminds me of the Hanes commercial (the producers probably thought they were being oh so progressive) where a woman dared to enter an exclusively male club, but it was OK 'cause she had good gams & wore Hanes. The men didn't mind one bit. I HATE this condescending type of commercial. Rather than being 'progressive', it just promotes sexism. While I'm at it, how about those 'progressive' laundry detergent commercials where the woman is so terrific, she can fix a kid's go-cart & get the grease out of a shirt, too! Great, huh? Have you ever seen ONE laundry commercial that showed a man actually doing laundry? I'm sure that in real life, men DO do laundry, but on TV they need the woman's help & guidance 'cause men just are SOOO helpless when it comes to any 'woman's work'. Just because women are in the ads doesn't mean the ads aren't sexist. Whew! Glad to get that off my chest & onto your screen! B. Walsh
wyse@ihuxq.UUCP (11/09/83)
First, I agree with what you are saying regarding sexism in commercials. Just a comment that I have seen some commercials that have men doing the laundry. Can't remember what product or when as I am not a real heavy TV watcher. Neal Wyse ihnp4!ihuxq!wyse
ariels@orca.UUCP (Ariel Shattan) (11/30/83)
Well, they now have a computer commercial with a girl in it (almost old enough to be a young woman). The other person in the commercial is (you guessed it!) Alan Alda. He's advertising the Atari Word Processor, and the girl is editing a line of text. The line: All men are created equal After the edit: All men and women are created equal Well, if Atari (and Alan Alda) says it, it must be so! Ariel (I don't make the news, I just report it) Shattan decvax!tektronix!tekecs!ariels